Reporters like to talk to scouts before games. They’re more available than front office people, usually just sitting out in the stands or walking around the ballpark before games. They’re less guarded, too. Like the reporter they’re kind of out there on their own on the road a lot, and when you engage them they’re eager to share. Share stuff like this, which one scout told the Daily News’ Bill Madden:

“But in my opinion the next catcher for the Yankees will be Joe Mauer. Imagine if the Twins don’t sign him and he goes out there on the market next winter with both the Yankees and Red Sox
in need of a catcher? That will be the wildest bidding war in baseball
history, and don’t think his agent doesn’t know it. And if they (Twins)
decide to trade him, the Yankees have the better pieces to get him.”

if the Twins can’t sign Mauer, then I’m done with baseball. The Yanks are killing baseball. the yanks have no org skills. baseball is becoming a joke. it’s bad enough that coastal prejudice keeps Blyleven and Kaat out of the HOF, but it just gets worth. Hey, Bosox and Yank fans, in a few years, every game will be a WS game, b/c the only teams left in mlb will be the yanks and bosox.

“We need a salary cap and a salary floor or it will keep getting worse”.
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Who is “we”? MLB is an industry that does very, very well. If one team dominates that industry, is it clear that the industry, as a whole, will suffer for it? Sure there will be frustrated fans, but those very fans will continue to fill MLB’s coffers, motivating absolutely no one to attempt to force a salary cap upon the players.
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Most sports have done very well during periods where there have been dynasties.

while everyone rants about the yankees and how much better baseball would be with parity the reality is that everywhere the yankees play, attendance jumps dramatically. people want to see the big, evil, hated yankees. as much as you like to think a kansas city/san diego world series would be good for baseball, the problem is that nobody would care. just as with the nba where everyone wants a cleveland/l.a. match up, people want to see the premier players/teams.

Hey, I agree with you as a BoSox fan, (but we do a pretty good job ourselves too, but that doesn’t make it right…) but I think Herb Brooks in Miracle said it best. I’m not looking for the best players, Craig. I’m looking for the right ones.
That’s the mentality that the Yankees have been missing since the late 90s which is why they’ve only won one title in that time frame. Before that they had the needed role players like Bernie Williams, Chuck Knoblauch, Paul O’Neill, etc. Now they have a bunch of overpaid players and granted they won last year, they have a lot of money divided over many contracts that are going to start looking like rubbish soon enough (Jeter and A Rod have hit their prime already and should go down, and their pitching is more suspect this year)
Go Sox or any team not named the NY Yankees!

stop being tools. all baseball owners are rich, which is why they can own an mlb franchise. if your team does not spend, it’s because your owner wants to pocket all the money. instead of whining and crying about it, try to change the fortunes of your own team instead of getting teary-eyed about unfairness.

So by that logic Fecteau, Boston has overpriced losers that don’t work well together (cough Lowell). Remember they paid 170 million in salary last year and didn’t win a thing (yeay! Wild card. I can’t wait to see them raise that flag on opening day). That is 30 million less than the Yanks, or basically Arod’s salary. I think a salary cap is stupid. The Pirates got 80 million in revenue sharing and paid 40 million in all expenses, including farm teams, scouts etc. When those teams start spending money on players instead of pocketing other team’s cash then they can complain. Until then take a big class of STFU juice and play ball. Oh and Yank fans you are forgetting Lee is a FA next year. so Crawford, Lee and Mauer.

“This is why baseball is turning to crap. It’s getting pretty close to being on par with the NBA which is not a good thing. NFL and NHL are the 2 best sports leagues by far.”
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Are you using an objective measuring stick or is your opinion merely subjective? Some might argue that an industry, like MLB, that takes in $6B is doing just fine.

I am a Yanks fan and I am rooting for Mauer to stay in Minny. I like to see the hometown discount and a player stay for his whole career in one town (Jeter). Not much of that today. Plus, I hate hearing how much the Yanks are a Free Agent Evil Empire. When we won in the late 90’s, those teams were home grown. We actually have a good group of homegrown still playing (Jeter, Petitte, Mo, Posada, Cano, Gardner, Johnson, Joba, Hughes) I can’t blame the Yanks for going after him though if he is available, he is a great player and a person that positively represents the game of baseball.

There are two teams around here, both with potentially equal resources. One has great management, one doesn’t. Both draw significant attention and attendance for different reasons-c’est la vie.
So relax, the people of the late 40’s-early 50s didn’t have likable blogs to complain in. Be glad for the diversion the game brings.
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You watch curious george; I live on the East coast and see about 20 MLB games a year, including going to MN. I’ve season tix for MN and the Yanks, but won’t buy in next year. Also, I attend the Twins fest every Jan. That’ll be out, too.

A few Twins have made the difficult decision to turn down the money for loyalty to an organization that treated them well. Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek both could have taken their talent elsewhere for a lot more money than was available in Minnesota, but they held the game above their wallets. Like Hrbek, Mauer is a hometown guy and I think he will show the same loyalty and earn the same kind of hometown respect he deserves.
I think you are wrong that the money will matter that much to a guy like Mauer.
You are right, though, that fans (true fans of the game) grow weary of watching their heroes go the highest bidder. It is part of the reason that the Yankees win so few titles any more. No TEAM – just a bunch of INDIVIDUALS…PRIMA DONNAS!

As a long time Yankee fan all I can say is FANTASTIC!! Heck, I do not care if they pay him $50M a year. Its not my money. I want to see great baseball and I do not care how the Yankees get great:) In addition, if these idiots want to take steroids and kill themselves, that is fine with me too.

It is common to talk about how all Mauer has to do is wait one more year and the free agency bonanza will be there. I should think that Mauer also seriously considers the fact that, as a catcher, he could sustain an injury this year that dimishes his market value considerably. It is likely he may be thinking that a guaranteed long term contract now worth a mere few million less, might be the smarter route to follow.

“Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek both could have taken their talent elsewhere for a lot more money than was available in Minnesota, but they held the game above their wallets.”
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The game? You mean they held Carl Pohlad’s wallet above theirs. Odd that loyalty to a billionaire should be applauded. Yep, no way a billionaire should have to pay market value. Better that he keeps his money.

Heres the problem with Yanks fans. They’re just delusional. Some idiot up above claims the team is made up of mostly homegrown guys, yet they spent 423 million in the offseason for their 1 & 2 pitcher, something no other team could do and spent another 180 Million for one of the top 1st baseman.
DO ALL YOU STUPID YANK FANS THINK YOUD BE ABLE TO KEEP RESIGNING JETER, MO, POSADA, ETC IF THERE WAS A CAP?
Other teams have to make decisions because they cant afford to keep those all those guys. You can claim they’re home grown but after they’re resigned to a GIANT contract theyre bought just like all your other stars…

“I’ve been an Indians fan my whole life. In the last season and a half we’ve lost C.C., Cliff Lee, and Victor Martinez because of money. And people wonder why we think we need a salary cap?”
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You’ve answered your own question. You say you have been an Indians fan your whole life. I presume you are still. And I presume that you continue to finance MLB, either directly by buying tickets or merchandise or indirectly by watching on TV or listening on radio.
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The industry is getting your money. Why should they change their business model? You are rightfully disappointed that your team has lost its best players. But MLB does not feel your disappointment in their collective wallet.

no need for a salary cap. the yankees reinvest their money into the team. always trying to put the best team they can on the field. they are the #1 organization around and always will be, starting way back in the 20’s thru today look how many HOF have played in NY. HOORAY FOR THE EVIL EMPIRE, screw the hated red sux